At 5th Olive Oil and Olive Festival, one of the biggest events in Greece, for olive oil and olives we... read more

Mediterranean Diet May Protect the Heart More than a Low-Fat Diet

20/02/2014

A new study that analyzed research from 1957 until now, found more evidence that a whole-diet, and particularly the Mediterranean diet, resulted in greater reduction of death due to heart disease and heart attacks than a low-fat diet.

The investigators from the University of Arizona and Northwestern University found that, although a low-fat diet may lower cholesterol levels, it did not appear to lower the risk of heart attacks and deaths from coronary heart disease.

They concluded that the last fifty years of epidemiology and clinical trials have established a clear link between diet, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events and a that “whole diet” approach of the Mediterranean diet is more effective in preventing cardiovascular disease than a low-fat, low cholesterol diet. The authors noted that encouraging the consumption of olive oil over butter and cream, while increasing the amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and fish, promises to be more effective.